Process of producing leather imitation, particularly an imitation of the so-called antique leather



Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES ERNST KATZ, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA PROCESS OF PRODUCING LEATHER IMITATION, PARTICULARLY AN IMITATION OF THE SO-CALLED ANTIQUE LEATHER t No Drawing. Application filed June 29, 1928, Serial No. 289,330, and in Austria. September 3, 1927.

This invention relates to leather imitation, particularly imitation of the so-called antique leather and the process of producing the same.

The object of the present invention is to produce leather-imitations, particularly antique leather imitations, which give the decoration mottled and blurred eii'ect of the genuine leather in a simple and economical manner.

The process according to the present invention consists in that a dyed or undyed fabric ofvegetable fibres such as cotton (calico), linen, hemp, jute'or the like is at first well dressed or finished, in which process the common dressing or finishing means containing starch is used, as the latter is commonly employed for good dressing or finishing. Subsequently the fabric is, hot calendered under pressure in order to cover up the texture by the dressing or finishing means. N ow a certain desired effect which may be termed a mottled and blurred effect is produced on the fabric by manually or mechanically applying several stippled coats of dyes, that is, by stippling on the dyes by means of sponges, sponge-rollers, or by squirting on the coats,or producing the effect by any other means. Aniline dyes, which are soluble in water or in spirits, are particularly suited for this object. After the first dye or paint is applied, the fabrics are dried and subsequently a second paint or dye or any desired number of separate coats of dyes are applied, care being taken each time to dry the fabrics before another new coat of dye is applied. It is obvious that any desired coloring. and combination of colors can be produced. Usually the desired mottled, and blurred effect is already attained, due to the irregular contact of the sponge or sponge roller when thus successively applying merely two colors or dyes in the case of an alread dyed fabric.

After the last coat as been applied the fabrics are dried and well calendered, and

subsequently ornamentations such as in the case of leather, for instance by gilt-tooling or the like, may be applied, and any desired grain may be impressed in a known manner.

The process according to the present inleather thus obtained.

vention is very well suited for producing leather effects, particularly antique leather, imitation, which in color and mottled efi'ect is very much like, real leather and is also of the same softness as real leather.

I claim 1. A process of producing imitations of leather, particularly of the so-called antique leather, with respeci the mottled and blurred decorative elic-Q thereof, which consists in dressing with starch a vegetable fibrous fabric, hot calender-ing the fabric base thus obtained, manually applying thereto a first coat of coloring by stippling with a sponge, drying, applying in the same way a second coloring and repeating said alternate dyeing and drying until the desired mottled and blurred effect is attained, drying a last time and finally calendering the imitation of 2. A process of producing imitations of leather, particularly of the so-called antique leather, with respect to the mottled and blurred decorative efi'ect thereof, which consists in dressing with'starch a fabric made of 7 vegetable fibres, hot calendering under ressure the fabric base thus obtained, app ying mechanically thereto a first coat of coloring by stippling with a sponge-roller, drying, applying in the same way a second colorin coat and repeating said alternate dyeing an drying until the desired mottled and blurred effect is attained, drying a last time and finally calendering the imitation of leather thus obtained.

In testimony whereof I afiix m si ature.

- ERNS TZ. 

